Fused electrical connector



June 29, 1954 J. F. CONRAD FUSED ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 10, 1953 r/ //I717////////u?/ZIIZ60IV/l n trill .v ax ..I

D w M a T WC m S F m ber Patented June 29, 1954 FUSED ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR,

John F. Conrad, Ebensburg; Pa.',.- assignor to V Deltron Electric Productsylncg Ebensburg, Pa.,' a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 10, 1953; Serial'No. 336,115

8 Claims. (01. 200 132) This invention relates to fused electrical connectors that are particularly suitable for use as taps for trolley wires or the like, and constitutes a modification of the connector disclosed in my application Serial No. 211,785, filed February 19, 1951, now Patent 2,636,957, dated April 28, 1953.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved manner of connecting the fuse links of a cartridge-type fuse to terminal members ductor members, whereby the parts and material contained within the cartridge shell can more conveniently be placed therein.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved manner of venting exhaust gases from the fuse cartridge.

A further object of my invention is to insure more dependable conductivity as between the fuse links and the terminal members of the casing.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through a connector that embodies my improved fuse structure;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the fuse links with conductor strips connected to the ends thereof,

and,

, Fig. 3 is a view of one of the cartridge bushings of Fig. 1 detached from the holder.

A casing or holder 8 is of insulating material such as fibrous reinforced resin and has an insulating closure disc 9 pressed into one end thereof through which a sheathed cable I extends. A knurled block ll of aluminum or other metal has tight fit in the casing 8, and the bared wires of the cable are clamped in a terminal block 12, by a set screw 13. The disc 9- and the block H have vent holes.

A coupling member l4 that serves as a termi nal block for the fuse cartridge has threaded engagement with the member [2 and has a recess for the reception of a tubular clamping member l5 through which the wires I6 of the cable in extend and are flared or fanned out at their inner ends 11, so that they will be clamped against a shoulder 18 in the coupling member l4, when the coupling member and the mem- I! are screwed tightly together. The coupling member has vent holes 19 through between the fuse links and are perforated to re- 2 which gases may escape upon rupture of the fuse, as hereinafter explained.

A cartridge'shell 21 has bushings 22 and 23 in its ends, that are knurled on their peripheries, for tight fit with the shell 2|. These bushings arecentrally" perforated as shown at 26 and 21 forthe escape of gases from the cartridge. The bushing 22' is similar in shape to the bushing 23 of Fig. 3 and has screw-threaded engagement withthe coupling It, and the passageway 26 has communication with the vent holes. I9.

The bushing 22 has a tubular nipple-like extension at 28 for supporting the ends of a group of conductor leaves 29, the leaves having holes through which the nipple '28 extends and the nipple being peened down to hold the leaves in place.

The leaves 29 are connected to fuse links 3| by a rivet 32. At their other ends, the fuse links are connected. by a rivet 33 to the ends of the conductor leaves 34 whose ends extend ceive the rivet 33. At their mid portions, the leaves are bent and have holes through which a tubular extension 35 of the bushing 23projects, the end of the extension being peened down to hold theleaves in place.

At its upper end, the casing 8 has a bushing 39 firmly secured therein as by knurling the bushing and making a press fit. A terminal block 40' has threaded engagement with the bushing '39 and an escape vent 4! for gases.

The bushing 23 has threaded engagement with the terminal block 40 and gases caused through rupture of the fuse links will escape from the shell, through the passageways or vent 27 and 4|. The block 40 is threaded for the reception of a trolley-wire engaging hook 42 or some other suitable connecting device. The outer end of the block 40 is flanged over at 43 to hold a rubber disc 44 in place for engagement with the end of the casing 8.

The fuse leaves 29 are made of extra length as shown in the drawing, to facilitate assembling of the device, since the plug 22 can be connected to the leaves while it is withdrawn from the shell '21, and the shell then filled with an inert powder. The plug can then be inserted into the end of shell and the shell pressed around it. The leaves 29 are bendable or collapsible to permit this removal and insertion of the plug.

Upon rupture of the fuse, gases will exit through the ports 26l9 and 2'|4l. To prevent accidental sifting out of the powder, gauzelike discs 45 will be placed over the inner ends tridge bushings 22-23 from the terminal blocks 14 and 40.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electrical connector comprising'a pair of electrically-conductive terminal blocks, a tubu-. lar holder With means for releasably supporting the blocks in its ends, a fuse cartridge shell, electrically-conductive bushings fitting within and closing the ends of the shell, one of the bush ings being removable, fuse links in the shell, flexible conductor leaves connecting the links to: the bushings, and means for releasably connecting the bushings to the terminal blocks.

Electrical fuse structure comprising a cartride shell, electrically-conductive bushings fitting within closing the ends of the shell, to retain filling material therein, fuse link in the shell, flexible conductor leaves connecting the links to the bushings, and threaded extensions on the bushings for effecting electrical and mechanical connections between the outer ends of the bushings and electrical conductors.

Electrical fuse structure comprising a.cartridgeshell, electrically-conductive bushings fitting Within and closing the ends of the shell, to

retain filling material therein, fuse links in the shell, flexible conductor leaves connecting the links to the bushings, and threaded extensions on-the bushings for effecting electrical and mechanical connection between the outer ends of the-bushings and electrical conductors, the bushings having vent holes for the escape of gases from theshell.

l. Electrical fuse structure comprising a cartride shell, electrically-conductive bushings fitting Within and closing the ends of the shell, a fuse link in the shell connected at one end to one of .the bushings, an extensible conductor leaf connecting the other end of the link to the other bushing, and mean for effecting electrical and tridge closing the ends of the shell, a fuse link in the shell connected at one end to one of the bushings, an extensible and flexible conductor leaf connecting the other end of the link to the other bushing, and means for effecting electrical and mechanical connection between the outer ends of the bushings and electrical conductors, the conductor leaf being Of1Sl1Gh length that its associated bushing. can be :in Withdrawn'position relative to the shell While the other bushing is fixed in place.

6. Electrical fuse structure comprising a cartridge shell, electrically-conductive bushings closing the ends of the shell, to retain filling material therein, fuselinks in the shell, flexible conductor leaves connecting the links to the bushings, and meansfor effecting electrical and mechanical connection between the outer ends of the bushings and electrical conductors, the said connection comprising threaded extensions on the bushings;

7. Electricalfuse structure comprising .a cartridge shell, elcctrically-conductive bushings closing the ends of the shell, to retain filling material therein, fuse: links in the shell, flexible conductor leaves connecting the links to the bushings, and means for effecting electrical and mechanical connection between the outer ends of the bushings and electrical conductorsone set ,of conductor leave being ofsuch length that their associated-bushing can be in withdrawn position relative to the shell while the otherbushing is fixed in place.

8. Electrical fuse structure comprising a carshell, electrically-conductive bushings closing the ends ottheshell, a .fuselink in the shell .connectedatone end .to one ofthe bushings, a flexible conductor. leaf connecting the other end oi the lirztothe other bushing, means for. effecting electrical and. mechanical connection between the outerends of the bushings and electrical conductors, the said connection comprising threadedextensions.of the bushings, and there being vent holesthrough the bushings and .theirthreaded extensions, for-the escape of gases from the shell, and closures for the inner ends of the holes, rupturable bygas explosions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,407,706 Smith etal. Feb. 28, 1922 2,601,673 Bridgman Sept. 28, 1926 2,634,349 Genter l- Apr. 7, 1953 

